ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
Corolla sex-petala patens æqualis. Stigmata tria erectiusculo-patula.
Blossom 6-petals spreading equal. Summits three upright-spreading.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Ixia, filamentis basi cohærentibus; floribus subcapitatis, petalis purpureis basi saturatioribus, foliis lineari-ensiformibus.
Ixia, with threads united at the base, flowers rather in heads, petals purple with darker bases, and linear-sword-shaped leaves.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The two valves of the sheath.
2.An entire flower, cut open in the tube only, which is extended nearly to the end of the threads.
3.The chives cut open and magnified.
4. The pointal complete, one of the summits detached and magnified
The figure which accompanies this description represents the narrowest-leaved variety of the columnar-chived Ixia hitherto introduced into the British gardens.
Like the other varieties already figured in this work, it is a native of the Cape of Good Hope; and like them must be treated as a Cape-bulb; requiring only the protection of the green-house, and a mixture of loam and peat; and no water during its quiescent state.